Winslow II to stand trial after judges ruling

Former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II will stand trial after a judge in Vista, Calif., ruled Thursday that there was sufficient evidence to move forward with the case.

Winslow will face a number of felony charges, including rape and kidnapping, as well as multiple misdemeanor charges including indecent exposure and trespassing, per the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Superior Court Judge Harry Elias set bail at $2 million for Winslow, who may face additional charges during a hearing scheduled for later Thursday afternoon.

The 34-year-old Winslow was arrested in June and pleaded not guilty to eight felony charges and one misdemeanor. He was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and raping several women, including a hitchhiker.

After hearing testimony during the two-day preliminary hearing that began Wednesday, Elias reduced some of the charges to misdemeanors.

Winslow stands accused of raping two women and exposing himself to a third. He also was accused of entering the homes of two other women with the intent to rape, prosecutors alleged.

According to the initial complaint, two of the victims said they were raped in a vehicle and a third reported that she was gardening when Winslow approached and exposed himself. In two other instances, he allegedly entered mobile homes in Encinitas, where he lives.

On Wednesday, a 54-year-old woman who claimed that she was raped after she was picked up for a ride while hitchiking was unable to identify Winslow as her attacker.

At Thursday's hearing, a 58-year-old homeless woman testified that she knew Winslow, who she said gave her a ride months earlier. She testified that Winslow offered to buy her coffee in May but took her to a secluded area and raped her. She added that he threatened to kill her if she said anything.

The last incident before Winslow's arrest occurred on June 7 and involved an 86-year-old woman who lives at a mobile home park.

The son of former San Diego Chargers standout Kellen Winslow, he played in the NFL for 10 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and New York Jets. He finished his career with 469 receptions for 5,236 yards and 25 touchdowns in 105 games.

The former No. 6 overall draft pick by the Browns out of the University of Miami was suspended in 2013 while with the Jets for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. He also was arrested several times during his playing career, with one of those for possession of synthetic marijuana.